Final Paper (1)

Running head: ELIMINATING CULTURAL DEFICITS IN HIGHER EDUCATION1

Eliminating Cultural Deficits in Higher Education: Organizational Communication Analysis of

Academic Success Programs Designed for Minority Students

Ilianna Velez

Kent State University

ELIMINATING CULTURAL DEFICITS IN HIGHER EDUCATION2

Abstract

As minority student enrollment at colleges and universities continues to rise,

Latin/Hispanic Americans still have one of the lowest graduation rates at major universities.

Research suggests that highlighting the high dropout rates as students enrolled into college

shows that much of this achievement gap is the direct result of what happens after

Hispanic/Latino students enroll into college. Institutions such as Kent State University show

differing results of the national average. A direct correlation to these results can be the transition

and retention programs (Upward Bound, Academic S.T.A.R.S and the McNair Scholars

Program) that are offered at this institution. The programs are designed for students who fall into

one of the following categories: first generation college student meeting income guidelines or

from an underrepresented ethnic group (AALANA students; African American, Latin American,

Native American). Each program’s structure is designed differently as they are meant to target

different age groups. The Cultural Deficit model is used in my research to highlight some of the

barriers placed on Hispanic/Latino students that sometimes hinder them from achieving

educational excellence.


Introduction

The first step toward achieving educational excellence for Hispanic/Latino students is to

increase retention and graduation rates for those who are already enrolled into an institution of

higher education. As the fastest growing minority group in the United States, Latino/Hispanic

Americans still have one of the lowest graduation rates at major universities. Fry (2002) found

that Hispanic/Latino students graduate from high-school and enroll into college at the same rate

as their white peers, but they are not attaining a bachelor’s degree on anywhere near the rate of

their white peers. Of the nation’s 166 million high school graduates, about 7% are enrolled into

undergraduate studies. The nation’s 11.7 million Latino high school graduates were able to

attend college at a higher rate (Fry, 2002). Approximately 37% of white high school graduates

between the ages of 25 to 29 years old have received a bachelor’s degree. That holds for 21% of

African American high school graduates and only 16% of Latino high school graduates that have

a bachelor’s degree between the ages of 25 to 29 (Fry, 2002). So the enrollment rate for Latino

students clearly demonstrates the value that they place on furthering their education. However,

the high enrollment is not translating into higher education rates. Much of this achievement gap

is the direct result of what happens after Latino students begin their collegiate careers.

Transition and retention programs are becoming very popular amongst universities all

across the United States. Universities have made noticeable efforts for trying to keep the

students who are already enrolled on their campuses. With the expectations that this will

increase the likelihood of students graduating, especially those who are underrepresented. Saenz

(2016) stated that in order to sustain the upward trend (the increasing enrollment rates for

minority students), universities must continue to focus on minority success and completion

efforts all across the education spectrum.


Many institutions offer transition and retention programs but I chose to focus on Kent

State University because it offer these programs designed for students who fall into one of the

following categories: must be a first generation college student who meet income guidelines or

from an underrepresented ethnic group (AALANA students- African-American, Latin American,

Native American). The Upward Bound program is a pre-college program that seeks to increase

educational opportunities and diminish some of the barriers that first-generation and low-income

students encounter as they seek entrance to post-secondary education (Upward Bound Programs,

Kent State University). The Academic S.T.A.R.S. (Students Achieving and Reaching Success)

program is for newly enrolled freshman who are AALANA students. This program helps to

prepare students to achieve academic success and enrich their college experience by providing

them with the necessary tools and mentors to guide them through the process (Academic

S.T.A.R.S., Kent State University). As students complete their second year at Kent State

University, they have the opportunity to apply for the McNair Scholars program, a program that

is designed for low-income or AALANA students. This program prepares its scholars for

graduate school as they engage their scholars in a variety of activities, including mentored

research, and academic and cultural seminars (McNair Scholars Program, Kent State University).

In this paper, I will explore the racial and economic disparities in higher education from

an organizational communication perspective. First, I will summarize the cultural deficit model

and critical race theory as they relate to cultural capital and negative stereotypes that impact

students’ chances for academic success. Second, I will address national trends regarding

academic enrollment and retention rates. Third, I will address academic success programs

designed to address inequality in higher education. Specifically, I will focus on three academic

programs (Upward Bound, S.T.A.R.S., and McNair) at Kent State University geared toward low-


income, underrepresented students. I will employ a qualitative content analysis of program

materials and requirements as well as quantitative data gathered by the university to assess the

success of these programs in terms of minority enrollment, retention, and graduation, with a

primary interest in understanding the impact of these programs on Latino students.

Cultural Deficit Model

The Cultural Deficit Model is used to explain the cultural deficit thinking that negates the

contributions of families and communities of color toward education, and accuses these families

of lacking cultural capital. Cultural capital is defined as the forms of knowledge, both tangible

and intangible, that have value in a given society in relation to status and power (Choby, 2010).

This model relies on stereotypes and negative assumptions to place the blame for a lack of

educational success on communities of color (Matos, 2015). Much research conducted on

minority students is typically shown comparing minority students to their white counterparts,

with Whites setting the standard because they are portrayed as more successful and more

prepared for college. Matos (2015) shared a personal story in her study, which deals with

cultural deficit thinking in K-12 settings. She stated:

During my recent tenure as a high school teacher in an urban, predominantly Latina/o,

setting, it was uncommon to hear about frustrations from my colleagues with “those”

students who didn’t want to learn and how you can imagine what “their” parents are like

in “those” homes. (Matos, p 438)

Such assumptions about the inability of Latina/o parents to be involved in the education of their

children speaks to the lack of information about Latina/o culture (Matos, 2015). Commentary on

the perceived weaknesses of Latina/o children’s ability to read and write does not then take into


account the cultural capital and language strengths that these students bring into the K-12 setting

(Yosso, 2005; as cited in Matos, 2015).

Students who know another language aside from English have more to offer to an

educational setting than they are getting recognized for. The Critical Race Theory suggests that

people of color possess skills and strengths in the form of cultural capital that are in contrast to

the cultural deficit discourse (Yosso, 2005; as cited in Matos, 2015). Families of Latina/o

students instill many lessons to their children that in fact, do have a positive impact on their

children when it comes to educational settings. For example, linguistic capital strengthens

communication skills through cultural traditions of storytelling. Through social capital, parents

are able to utilize social networks as a mean to obtain the necessary resources for their children

to experience positive educational outcomes. Matos (2015) described the cultural deficit model

as a master narrative that is used to apply structure to the misunderstandings and ignorance

regarding communities of color. Deficit-based and misperceived generalizations of the Latina/o

parents being illiterate and uninterested in the education of their children does not reflect the true

reality of how interested they actually are in the educational advancement of their children

(Matos, 2015). The reality of Latina/o students and their parents is that their parents do express

pride in their children’s pursuit of a college degree, despite the level of education their parents

may have obtained. Staff and faculty members in educational settings need to get acquainted

with the Latina/o culture so that they may better understand what these students go through. If

one has a better understanding of a person’s cultural background, then the appropriate steps can

be taken to resolve some of the ongoing issues that this specific group of students encounter.

Academic- Enrollment & Retention


There are striking disparities in the academic achievement of American youth, with

Latino students being a particularly vulnerable population. Fry (2002), found that

Hispanic/Latinos have much of an achievement gap when it comes to obtaining their Bachelor’s

degrees. K-12 academic expectations have been shown to predict educational outcomes and are

an important factor in understanding educational disparities (Turcios-Cotto & Milan, 2012).

With specific regard to students of color, they often find themselves less engaged because the

curriculum in most school systems is less relevant to them, as it often acknowledges the histories

and prominence of white individuals throughout the academic school year (Nieto, 2000 as cited

in Turcios-Cotto & Milan, 2012). When students of color are not engaging in the classroom

curriculum, they are more likely to not do well academically. When students do not perform

well in their academics during high school, their chances of being admitted into a university will

be slim compared to their white peers. In a case study where racial and ethnic differences in

future expectations was examined, it was found that Latinos were less likely to hold higher

education expectations than Black students. Latinos were less likely to report expecting to be in

school in four to five years and were most likely to report having their own family within that

time. This same case study concluded that this difference could be due to specific cultural

factors of Latinos, such as familismo, which emphasizes the importance of family and having

strong family ties. Some practical implications for educators and clinicians would be to involve

families in discussions about future educational goals. Families and their children should be able

to express any questions or concerns that they may have when it comes to pursuing a higher

education. Parents/guardians should be encouraged to support their children who desire to have a

family but encourage them to do so after furthering their education (Turcios-Cotto & Milan,

2012).


The college application process may be more challenging to some more than others. This

holds true for families whose parents may not know much about the necessary steps needed for

applying. Some students avoid college because they have no guidance with this. Others may not

go to college because of the negative stereotypes placed upon them. For many young Latinos,

they are making a generational leap when they go beyond high school education. As the first in

their families to pursue a higher education degree, they lack the invaluable support systems at

home that most American college students often take for granted (Fry, 2002). Latinos are now

the fastest growing minority group in the U.S., but are also the most poorly educated. As

previously stated, Latinos are enrolling into college at approximately the same rate as their peers;

however, their high enrollment is not translating into high graduation rates. Many Latinos are

products of under-funded, short-staffed, and under-performing high schools. This can have a

direct result on the college dropout rate because they have not had an adequate preparation for

college work (Fry, 2002).

Many high schools have taken the initiative to incorporate different workshops to aid in

making college accessible to Latino high school graduates. Keeping Latino students in college

so that they are able to obtain their bachelor’s degrees is something that colleges and universities

are starting to also take initiative over as they continue to implement different programs to aid in

the overall success of underrepresented students. Such programs provide students with the

necessary tools so that they are able to finish their undergraduate careers and even go beyond to

doctoral studies. Mentoring relationships have been shown to positively affect the retention rates

of these students. Furthermore, matching students with mentors of the same ethnicity showed a

higher cumulative GPA and graduation rate and also entered graduate study at a higher rate

(Campbell & Campbell, 2007). Past research has supported the notion that encouragement from


mentors plays an important role in a student’s decision to enroll and persist in graduate school

(Cooper, 2000; National Research Council, 1992).

Nature of Academic Programs

Academic Success programs are highly respected at institutions for higher education.

They are in place to help specific students further their education by providing them with the

necessary tools to be able to do so. Programs such as Upward Bound, S.T.A.R.S. and McNair,

offered at the Kent State University and other institutions such as the University of West

Virginia, are in place to help underprivileged and underrepresented students enroll into college,

make an easy transition into their first year, and foster their interest in graduate school. I focus

my research on these specific academic success programs because they are geared specifically

towards low-income, underrepresented students.

The Kent State Upward Bound program provides students who are first generation

college students and meet income guidelines the preparation, support, and opportunities to

successfully enter into an institution for higher education. Students who are selected to be a part

of this program will be exposed to college majors, careers and expectations. They will also be

provided with intensive academic support, enrichment and skill development, as well as research

experiences. This program provides them with academic support by providing them with

advising, tutoring, and mentors (Upward Bound Programs, Kent State University). In previous

research, a mentor has been defined as a person with experience who is able to guide, advise, and

support a less-experienced person with the intention of fostering the protégés’ career growth

(Cronan-Hillix et al., 1986; Russel & Adams, 1997 as cited in Campbell & Campbell, 2007).


The Academic S.T.A.R.S. program is a transition and retention program designed for

newly admitted AALANA students. It is a six-week program held in the summer that allows its

students to take two college courses: College Writing 1 and Black Experience 1. The summer

institute ends with a cultural Rites of Passage ceremony that promotes self-pride, acceptance of

student’s cultural heritage and awareness as well as appreciation of cultural differences

(Academic S.T.A.R.S. Programs, Kent State University).

The Ronald E. McNair Program (McNair Program) is a post- baccalaureate program

offered to students who finish their sophomore year and satisfy the program requirements. The

program is held for the duration of eight weeks over the summer and teaches the students the

basic principles for conducting successful research. The purpose of this program is to prepare

first-generation, low-income, undergraduate students, from groups of underrepresented graduate

schools, for doctoral study (McNair Scholars Program, Kent State University).

From an organizational communication perspective, these three programs share a

common theme. Each program provides its students with the opportunity for education. The

Cultural Deficit theory explains why an achievement gap may be present in institutions for

higher education. The negative stereotypes and assumptions placed on students of color can

directly correlate with why students are not excelling academically. The Upward Bound,

Academic S.T.A.R.S. and McNair Scholars program welcome underrepresented students and

provide them with the resources they need in order to succeed at the college level. They aim to

provide underrepresented students with the support they need so that they may push through any

negative stereotype and assumption placed upon them.

Goal of Study


The goal of this study is to see how effective Academic Success Programs are on the

retention and graduation rates of minority students with specific regard to Hispanic/Latino

students. More specifically, I want to look into the effectiveness of the Upward Bound,

Academic S.T.A.R.S. and the McNair Scholars program on the success of the students that it

serves. Success will be determined in this study if the programs are retaining a majority of the

students that they enroll.

Methods

This study was conducted throughout an eight-week period, over the summer at Kent

State University. I retrieved quantitative data that Kent State’s Institutional Research department

gathered to look at the enrollment and graduation rates of African American, Hispanic/Latino

and Caucasian students on Kent’s main campus. I searched data that dated back to the fall

semester of 2010 and looked at the graduation rates up until the spring of 2016. I compared the

results of these findings to highlight the problem areas with minority students on Kent State’s

main campus.In addition to an organizational communications approach,

Additionally, I used a qualitative content analysis approach, which means I gathered

different pieces of content from each program (mission statements, promotional and

communication outreach materials, and program requirements), identified important aspects of it,

and used it to better understand the nature of the Upward Bound, Academic S.T.A.R.S, and

McNair Scholars program.

Results

Institutional Research Statistical Data


Through all of the information gathered from Kent State’s Institutional Research

department, I was able to conclude that Kent State’s main campus differs from the results of the

national averages. The national averages indicate that the enrollment rate for Hispanic/Latino

students have significantly improved. For the first time in many years, the number of 18-24-

year old Hispanic/Latinos enrolling into college exceeded 2 million and reached a record 16.5%

share of all college enrollments (Fry, 2012). This continued upward trend has been

ongoingcontinued since 1972;, the Hispanic/Latino share of 18-24 year old college students

steadily grew, rising from 2.9% to 16.5% (Fry, 2012).

Focusing on one university specificallyAt Kent State, the enrollment rates of

Hispanic/Latinos has remained significantly low compared to their counterparts. Data collected

from the Institutional Research department confirmed that in 2010, 166 Hispanic/Latino students

enrolled into their main campus while concurrently 617 African American and 4,444 white

students also enrolled. In 2011, 203 Hispanic/Latino students enrolled into Kent’s main campus,

while 695 African Americans and 4,437 white students enrolled. In 2012, the number of

Hispanic/Latino students that enrolled was 191, 695 African American students, and 4,211white

students (Institutional Research, Kent State University).

Data collected from the Institutional Research department on the degrees awarded from

these groups of students confirmed that Kent State is able to retain at least 50% of the

Hispanic/Latino students enrolled. Of the 166 Hispanic/Latino students that enrolled into Kent’s

main campus in the fall of 2010, 108 (65%) of those students obtained their bachelor’s degree

within a 4 four-year time frame. Of the 203 Hispanic/Latino students that enrolled into Kent’s

main campus in the fall of 2011, 115 (56%) of those students graduated and obtained their

bachelor’s degrees. In 2012, 191 Hispanic/Latino students enrolled into the main campus and


152 (79%) of those students graduated and obtained their bachelor’s degree within 4 four years

(Institutional Research, Kent State University).

Examining the same quantitative data obtained gathered by Kent State’s Institutional

Research department, in comparison with the enrollment and graduation rates of Hispanic/Latino

students, there was also an achievement gap present amongst the African American students.

Looking at the fall semester of 2010 for African American student enrollment, 617 students

enrolled and 298 (48%) were able to graduate in 4 four years and receive earn their bachelor’s

degrees. In 2011, 695 students enrolled and only 279 (40%) graduated with their bachelor’s

degrees. In 2012, 686 students enrolled and 345 students graduated and obtained their bachelor’s

degrees (Institutional Research, Kent State University).

Academic Success Programs

Kent State University offers three academic success programs that are designed to

address inequality in higher education. The Upward Bound Program is designed for first

generation college students and provides its students with the preparation and support to

successfully enter into an institution for higher education. Some of the program requirements are

as follows: students must plan to enroll in college to complete a degree upon high school

graduation, currently in or rising into the 9th or 10th grade, satisfy federal eligibility criteria, and

carry a 2.5 or higher cumulative GPA (Upward Bound Programs, Kent State University).

Throughout the academic year, students participating in this program are required to attend

weekly Scholars’ Institute meetings in which they engage in different activities such as ACT

prep and applying to colleges, Saturday Engagement days where students have the opportunity to

go to Kent campus and interact with different faculty, parent/guardian workshops, and field trips


to different campuses and universities. The students are then required to participate in a six-

week summer institute held at the Kent State campus. They are required to attend targeted

classes in the fields of math, business, language, science and electives. The mentors will be

present throughout the duration of the six-week summer institute to satisfy any needs or concerns

from the students.

The Upward Bound Program is administrated through the Diversity, Equity, and

Inclusion (D.E.I.) department at Kent State. This department really promotes diversity and that

one should look at their culture as an asset, something one should be proud of and elevate.

However, the mission statement that is present on the Upward Bound webpage is contradictory

to this statement. A portion of this statement is as follows, “TRIO programs help students

overcome, class, social, academic, and cultural barriers to higher education.” (Upward Bound

Programs, Kent State University) After reading this statement, one can see that they position

culture as a barrier that students need to overcome. If this program is administrated through a

department that promotes diversity as an asset, then their mission statement should be a direct

reflection of that.

The Academic S.T.A.R.S. Program is a transition and retention program designed for

newly admitted AALANA students entering their first year at Kent State. The eligibility

requirements include: acceptance into the Kent Campus, have a minimum ACT English score of

18 or a 430 SAT writing score, be able to stay on campus the entire duration of the program, and

be enrolled and attend Kent State for the Fall semester. If students find themselves eligible to

apply, they must complete the application process. The application process requires students to

provide an essay prompt, three letters of recommendations, send an original copy of their high


school transcript, and participate in an on-campus interview with a parent or guardian (Academic

S.T.A.R.S., Kent State University).

This program is a six-week program held in the summer that allows its students to take

two college courses: College Writing 1 and Black Experience 1, as a way for the students to

develop academic and professional skills, as well as develop a sense of cultural identity and self-

awareness. The summer institute ends with a cultural Rites of Passage ceremony that ties into

the Black Experience 1 course that students are required to take. This portion of the program

promotes self-pride, acceptance of student’s cultural heritage and awareness as well as

appreciation of cultural differences. As a program that admits students from an AALANA

background, requiring the Latin American and Native American students to take a Black

Experience course as well as go through a Rights of Passage experience will not help these

students develop a sense of cultural identity and self-awareness as it focuses on the African

experience. Perhaps implementing different workshops that all their students can take that

focuses on the cultural background of the others will be something to consider.

As Kent State students finish their sophomore year, they have the opportunity to be a part

of the Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program (McNair Program). To

become a McNair scholar, one must have at least a 3.0 GPA, must be a U.S. citizen or permanent

resident, and must fall into one of the categories mentioned above (McNair Scholars Program,

Kent State University). The heart of the McNair Scholars program is the faculty mentor-McNair

scholar relationship. Students admitted into the program will have the opportunity to pick a

faculty mentor of their choice and within their major that will aid in conducting their research for

the duration of eight weeks. Emphasis is placed on developing a strong relationship with their

faculty mentors as they will be the ones to teach the students the basic principles for conducting


successful research. They will also be required to receive advice and feedback from their

mentors as they will meet with them weekly. This program offers their scholars a chance to

receive individual tutoring and have access to personal and academic counseling. (McNair

Scholars Program, Kent State University).

After reviewing their McNair Recruitment flier, I noticed a language used that will really

attract the eye of a student who comes from a low socioeconomic background. Upon being

accepted into the program, the students will receive many benefits. Students participating will be

eligible to receive a stipend up to $2,800 to provide support during the summer research

initiatives, reside in an Honors College residence hall as well as receive honors academic credit,

attend graduate preparation workshops, graduate school tours, and present their research at local

and regional conferences with all expenses paid (McNair Scholars Program, Kent State

University). Students who come from a low-income household will be attracted to the fact that

they will be receiving a stipend just to conduct research, they will also be intrigued at the idea of

attending local and regional conferences without having to pay for them. So the language used

in this flyer is able to capture the eye of the specific audience that they are looking for without

having to actually say that students need to come from a low-income household.

Quantitative Data for Programs

The Upward Bound enrollment into college rates were unavailable to me throughout the

duration of conducting this research. Furthering my research, I plan to acquire these numbers.

Students participating in the Academic S.T.A.R.S. Program in the years 2008-2010, have shown

an 80% retention rate after their first year of college (Academic S.T.A.R.S., Kent State


University). I plan to also acquire more updated information on the number of students who

graduated from this program.

The McNair Scholars Program has shown a great amount of success in students obtaining

their Bachelor’s degrees and enrolling into graduate school. The graph below is a representation

of the number of students who have graduated with their Bachelor’s degree in each cohort year

and went on to graduate school. The enrollment rate has remained above a 50% each year.

Cohort Year # of BA

Recipients

# Enrolling

into Grad

School

Enrollment

Rate

2009-10 5 5 100%

2010-11 11 9 81.8%

2011-12 2 2 100%

2012-13 8 5 63%

Discussions

The purpose of this study was to highlight the achievement gap that was present amongst

Hispanic/Latinos at universities and study the nature of programs offered at Kent State

University that are meant to fix this achievement gap for these students. I used the cultural

deficit model as a lens to how I approached my study. After conducting this study, it was


apparent that Kent State enrollment rates differ from those of the national averages. The national

averages are stating that Hispanic/Latinos are enrolling into college at approximately the same

rate as their white peers, but are not graduating at anywhere near the same rate. The more recent

study conducted by Fry (2012) showed that the graduation rate for Hispanic/Latinos receiving

Bachelor’s degrees was 8.5% on a national level. Kent State numbers differ significantly as I

have found that Kent State is enrolling Hispanic/Latino students at a much smaller rate than their

counterparts, but are able to keep at least 50% of these students and graduate them within a four-

year time frame.

The programs offered at Kent State are designed to help underrepresented students

succeed in a college setting and further their education but much of the language that was present

in the Upward Bound mission statement was contradictory to the fact that diversity is looked at

as an asset. The Academic S.T.A.R.S. Program recruits AALANA students but requires all of

their students to take a Black Experience course and participate in a Rites of Passage movement

that highlights the African Experience. A program that promotes self-pride and cultural

awareness for AALANA students should have the necessary courses/workshops that will aid in

doing so. A student who is Hispanic/Latino will not gain the same experience as one who is

African American taking these courses. As an alumna of the program, I can attest to this. The

McNair Scholars Program provides their scholars with the necessary resources so that they may

further their education. Their enrollment rates of students obtaining their Bachelor’s degrees and

enrolling into graduate school have remained above a 50%, so they have shown great success in

doing so. Their recruitment flyer, used as a promotional material to attract students that they

want for the program, contained language throughout that really attracts those students who

come from a low socioeconomic background.


After conducting this research and obtaining results that were gathered by Kent State’s

Institutional Research Department, I was very surprised to come across such an achievement gap

that was present amongst the African American community. The numbers showed that the

university is enrolling African American students at a much higher rate than they are the

Hispanic/Latino students; however, they are not able to retain and graduate more than 50% of

them. Such a finding surprised me considering the fact that Kent State has programs

implemented to help underrepresented students succeed in college. Even so, these programs are

so heavily focused on the African American community one would think the numbers would

show positive results.

Limitations

As someone who identifies as a Hispanic/Latina and has gone through these programs, I

wanted to focus on the Hispanic/Latino population present at Kent State and who have gone

through these programs. The fact that I focused so heavily on one ethnic group was my first

limitation, as I was not aware of the achievement gap that was present amongst the African

American community. The duration of this study was conducted over an 8 eight-week time

period that was taken place in the summer. The lack of time I had available to finish this study

was another limitation. I will need more time to be able to go through the Institutional Review

Board (IRB) approval process so that I may conduct interviews on the students and directors of

the three academic success programs to gain better insight on their experiences with these

programs. The access of available data was made limited to me because I was conducting this

study in the summer time. Summer hours at Kent State University are shortened and many

faculty members utilize this time to spend time away from the office. Furthering my research

will allow me more time to contact these offices and obtain the graduation and enrollment rates


of the students they serve. My last limitation was that I focused on Kent State’s main campus

when gathering the numbers from the Institutional Research Department. Looking at the sister

campuses could have gave me different results on the number of Hispanic/Latino enrollment

rates.

Conclusion/Further Research

In conclusion, my results of Kent State enrollment and graduation rates for

Hispanic/Latino students differing from the national average requires me to further my research

to examine why there is a difference. I believe that location, access to financial aid and

academic success programs are possible factors on why the enrollment rate for these students are

lower and not reflecting that of which the national average is stating. The retention rate for these

students at Kent State’s main campus may be better because of the diversity-based programs

offered at this institution. The Education Trust reported in July of 2013, that several institutions

have seen the disparities amongst minority student retention and graduation rates diminish after

developing programs to support those students (Lipka, 2013).

I would like to further my research to better understand why Kent State’s main campus is

not reflecting that Hispanic/Latino students are enrolling at high rates like those of the national

averages. I would like to look at other institutions located in an area such as California or Texas

where the Hispanic/Latino population may be greater to see if their enrollment rate for

Hispanic/Latino students differs from that of Kent State’s. With this comparison, I will be able

to determine whether or not location plays a role into the low enrollment rate for these students

at Kent’s main campus.


It is confirmed that Kent State University is doing well with retaining at least 50% of the

Hispanic/Latino students who are enrolling. I would like to investigate this further to see if the

programs and initiatives offered through the university is playing a vital role in this finding. I

plan to interview students who have participated in the Upward Bound, Academic S.T.A.R.S.

and the McNair Scholars program to determine whether or not they feel that these programs have

influenced them in any kind of way. I also plan to interview the directors of these 3 three

programs to see how they would define success.

Furthering my research, I plan to open my focus to AALANA students as a whole since

an achievement gap is present amongst the African American community. These programs serve

underrepresented students and Native American students fall into that category as well. I believe

that opening my focus to look at the African American, Latin American, and Native American

students will allow me to better understand the nature of these programs and how successful they

are with meeting their programmatic needs.

While this paper serves as an initial exploration into diversity-based academic programs

at a single university, a future line of research could shed light on specific strategies institutions

of higher learning could implement to further improve enrollment, retention, and graduation rates

for Hispanic/Latino students. Campbell and Campbell (2007) have indicated that

Hispanic/Latino students will succeed in these programs when they are matched with mentors of

the same ethnicity. To test this, I hope to gather data on the ethnic backgrounds of students and

faculty in mentorship pairings to determine whether ethnic similarity does indeed improve

academic success or program satisfaction for students


Also, Josephine Scott suggests the possibility that students could benefit more from

diversity-based programs that offer content or program options that are specifically tailored to

each student’s cultural background. For instance, Native American or Latino students who are

required to take a course about African-American history (e.g., Black Experience I in the

Academic S.T.A.R.S. program at Kent State) might not benefit from this cultural component as

much as they would if they were able to take coursework that specifically related to their own

heritage, experiences, or values. To test this hypothesis, I hope to compare program

requirements and offerings at various academic institutions or to look at how universities adapt

their diversity-based programs over time or in response to changing populations.

References

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